Chris Daughtry Says Watching 'Stranger Things' with His Wife Led Him to Cover Journey's 'Separate Ways'

Chris Daughtry's latest single was inspired by an exciting Stranger Things viewing experience.

The musician spoke to Janine Rubenstein for the latest episode of the PEOPLE Every Day podcast on Thursday about how watching the hit Netflix series with his wife Deanna inspired his brand-new cover of Journey's "Separate Ways" featuring Lzzy Hale of Halestorm.

"I was watching the finale of Stranger Things, and they used 'Separate Ways' in this incredibly epic scene. It was so moving, and me and my wife were watching," said Daughtry, 43, of the cover, which was released to celebrate the 40th anniversary of Journey's 1973 debut as a band. "I was like, 'Oh my gosh, this is the song we need to cover' — and, to my knowledge, I don't think anyone has put a version out."

Todd Williamson/Getty Deanna and Chris Daughtry

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He then spoke about how the Halestorm vocalist, 39, jumped on the track. "Lzzy and I had been talking for years about working together, and we have so much respect for each other as friends and artists," said the American Idol alum. "I called her and was like, 'Would you be interested?' And she was like, 'Oh my gosh, that's my go-to karaoke song.' It just felt like it was meant to happen."

The "Separate Ways" cover marks one of Daughtry's first singles to drop since the release of his last album, 2021's Dearly Beloved — his first-ever independent project, following the end of his years-long record deal with RCA. It was also a return to the rock-oriented sound fans first fell in love with upon the release of his self-titled 2006 debut record.

RELATED: Chris Daughtry on the 'Guilt' He Feels Following Deaths of His Mother and Stepdaughter: 'I Beat Myself Up'

"It feels right, and it's so weird because I was away from it for so long that I kind of lost sense of my own artistic voice, in a way. I remember when I parted ways with RCA, and I was able to shut out everybody else's voice, all of a sudden I could hear my own," said the "Home" musician, noting that he began listening to rock artists like Alice In Chains and albums like Live's Throwing Copper once again. "I was like, 'Why am I not doing this?' It just became very clear — once I had no one to answer to — what I wanted to do."

Elsewhere during the episode, Daughtry spoke to his grief process following the deaths of both his mother, Sandra, and stepdaughter, Hannah Price, in 2021. (Price, 25, died by suicide while under the influence of narcotics on Nov. 12 at her home in Fentress County, Tennessee, the Daughtry family said in a statement shared exclusively with PEOPLE at the time.)

Rebecca Sapp/Getty Chris Daughtry

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According to the musician, the holiday season was difficult and took him and Deanna through "a rollercoaster of emotions," which they've chosen not to "hide" from their other children: 12-year-old twins Adalynn Rose and Noah James, and Liam, 8. (Daughtry is also stepfather to Deanna's child Rosa, 24.)

"Some days we struggle, and that's life. We're vulnerable enough to not hide those emotions from them because it's a part of life, and it's something that we don't want to shelter them from," he said. "That's the best thing I've learned — to allow it and try not to beat yourself up with guilt for things you didn't say or didn't do, because you can't change that."

Daughtry is set to embark on a European tour in March, and information regarding tickets is available on the band's website.